Blackout
by sweety-1914
Summary: AC-based. What if, when Cloud attempted to rescue the children from the Forgotten Capital, he didn't just get knocked off his bike, but hit his head and was knocked out...?
1. Prologue

_"Cloud … !"_

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_"She wants you to go to the hideout …"_

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"_You really do drag around a lot, don't you …?"_

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Cloud tightened his grip on Fenrir's handles as the whiteness faded from his vision. His talk with Aeris had been both comforting – knowing she forgave him – and disquieting – he being unable to forgive himself.

He was suddenly dragged back to attentiveness when a shot rang out and he had to dodge to the side to avoid it.

_That's no ordinary bullet, _he thought. _They're using materia!_

Dodging again, he opened the compartments on the sides of the motorcycle and pulled out a sword with each hand – trusting to his ability to guide Fenrir with only his knees – and shot forward, avoiding the shots from two people either side of another, who was stalking forward. Cloud assumed this one was Kadaj.

A slight scowl pulled at Cloud's face as Kadaj walked confidently forward. Fenrir lurched slightly as Cloud sped up, but Kadaj gestured to something or someone above him, and Cloud obeyed his instinct to slow back down. A second later he was glad he did, as the blank expression of Denzel and scared look of Marlene stared back at him.

What?! 

Almost without thinking, he threw one of his swords to the side and leant as far as he could to the left, pushing the motorbike's handlebars as well. This had the result of catapulting him to the ground, closely following Fenrir as he skidded along. However, even from the floor he managed to see Fenrir _just_ miss Denzel - who didn't move or flinch as the tonne of metal almost sliced through his leg.

_Something's wrong…_ Cloud thought. _Denzel isn't usually like that…_

He heard Marlene call his name desperately, but as he attempted to look at her, his knee caught slightly in a tree root and he was flipped onto his side – head hitting the floor. As pain exploded in his knee, stars exploded in his vision, before blackness claimed him – Marlene's voice still ringing in his ears.

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Well, there's the prologue. I know it's short, but the actual chapters will be longer :)

Thanks for reading.

By the way, is it feasible to say that Fenrir weighs about a ton??? I have absolutely NO idea… hehe


	2. We Don't Do Duvets

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Loz and Yazoo had stopped firing as soon as Cloud fell. Kadaj had stalked forward, ready for the confrontation between he and their fallen brother, only to find that the blond was pale and unmoving. Kadaj sneered at the obvious bluff, and kicked the man over onto his back. It was only then that the three saw the red contrasting with the white skin – blood flowing from a wound just above Cloud's temple. Kadaj smirked.

"Well," he announced cheerily. "That didn't take very long, did it?"

These words seemed to have awakened the little brat Loz had brought back from her stupor, because before any of the brothers could say anything else, she ran to the unconscious Cloud, knocking Kadaj as she passed him, and began shaking Cloud, gently but insistently, crying for him to wake up. Despite being irritated with her, Kadaj couldn't help but find the sight amusing.

"I don't know. We get all ready for an intense battle, and 'Nii-san gets knocked out before we even start! Somehow that doesn't seem quite fair..."

Loz spoke up.

"It makes him much easier to kill now though, Kadaj. Then we can go back to finding 'Kaa-san."

"Hmmm. Yes, you're right, but it seems almost a waste of time and effort if he was going to be this much of a challenge." Kadaj turned away. "Yazoo – finish him off."

The gunman drew out his Velvet Nightmare and smirked.

"With pleasure."

At these words, the girl jumped up, tears still streaming down her cheeks, and attempted to stop Yazoo from coming close to Cloud. However, he simply knocked her away and into Loz, who held her back from trying again. Ignoring her yells and tears, Yazoo took the few steps forward to their 'Nii-san and sighted, aiming for between the man's eyes. Wanting to savour the moment, he _slowly_ pulled the trigger…

"Wait."

Yazoo let go just before the bullet would have been released. Annoyed, he turned back to Kadaj, who had been the one to interrupt him.

"Why?" he huffed. "All he is, is an obstacle between us and 'Kaa-san."

Kadaj smiled slightly.

"Yes," he replied. "As an opponent, that's all he is."

Yazoo cocked his head and shouldered Velvet Nightmare. He didn't understand where Kadaj was coming from, but gathered that he must have a point he was getting to.

"As an _opponent,_" Kadaj stressed, turning away and pacing slightly, "he is indeed just another obstacle we must face and defeat before beginning our search for 'Kaa-san once again. However - " He turned back and grinned widely. "He is no longer our _opponent_. Now, he is our _hostage_. And that means he is now a bargaining chip to use in order to _obtain_ 'Kaa-san, rather than just search for her!"

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Vincent Valentine, former Turk, had known about the three silver-haired men since they had appeared in the Forgotten Capital near to where he was staying. He had also known as soon as Cloud had entered the forest. Realising that there was likely only one reason the blond was there, Vincent had immediately headed to where he knew Kadaj and his gang were.

He ran quickly – not that he thought Cloud would have any problem – but even so, he heard gunshots and a vague scream before he came anywhere near close enough to see what was going on. Feeling a vague unease, he quickened his pace, but heightened his stealth, flitting from tree to tree as less than a shadow.

The sight that met his eyes when he reached the scene was certainly not one he had been expecting. Cloud, unconscious on the ground, surrounded by Kadaj's group and a group of children that seemed to just be standing there. Vincent instantly faded back into the darkness and watched for a second.

Kadaj said something to the other two, but they were just out of Vincent's hearing so he couldn't quite make out what it was. However it was made clear when the taller of them grabbed the girl – Vincent seemed to remember her name as being Marlene – and throw her over his shoulder, paying no attention to her yelling or beating her fists on his back.

Despite having hung back so far, when the man lifted Cloud easily and the blond made no move to suggest that this was some kind of trick, Vincent felt compelled to interrupt. He drew Death Penalty and took careful aim at the three – particularly at the one holding Cloud and Marlene. But, before he could shoot, Kadaj snapped something, and all three of them turned to look in the ex-Turk's direction; Yazoo immediately bringing his own weapon up and firing a couple of shots at Vincent, while Loz handed Cloud to Kadaj and got a tighter, one-handed grip on Marlene. Vincent evaded the shots by morphing into a shape reminiscent of his cloak and gliding down and around the tree he had been in – seeing no reason for secrecy now.

He headed straight for Kadaj, who drew his weapon – a twin-bladed sword – quick as lightning. Although Vincent expected to be attacked, Kadaj instead swung his sword around in a tight arc, which caused Vincent to stop dead when he saw where it was now pointing.

"Well," Kadaj interjected, smirking. "It appears we have a slight advantage."

Vincent tore his eyes away from the point of Kadaj's twin swords that were nestled in the crook of Cloud's neck to glare menacingly at Kadaj, who simply smirked.

"Unless, of course, you don't care what happens to him…? In which case, feel free to continue to attack."

The two of them stood in silence for a moment, while the other members of Kadaj's trio watched from the sides. Vincent thought furiously for a moment, before relaxing and holstering Death Penalty. The three had been perfectly willing to kill Cloud earlier, and he wasn't going to fool himself by thinking anything had changed

"Fine," he muttered, stepping back. "I'll leave you to it."

With that, he immediately jumped back as far as he could – which was pretty far – into the trees and out of their sight. As much as he hated himself for allowing yet another person he could have helped to be hurt, (or, in this case, captured,) his Turk training and experience made certain to him that there was nothing he would be able to do for Cloud, except for get to his friends and warn them of what he knew…

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"Um … There's a message for you, Shatchou."

"Isn't it your job to review them and then let me know the gist, Reno?"

"Yeah, I already listened to it. I just … think you should too."

Rufus sighed, but gave his attention to the man anyway. Reno was being unusually serious, so it would probably be a good idea to see what had gotten him in that state.

"Very well Reno. Play the message."

The redhead dropped a small recorder onto Rufus' desk and almost solemnly pressed the play button. A voice that all of them recognised floated out of the speakers.

"_Hello, Shatchou."_ Rufus immediately recognised the voice as that of Kadaj. _"It seems you're still as untrustworthy as ever – sending 'Nii-san after us. I can see why you thought that would work, but, unfortunately for you, it didn't."_

The Shinra president's eyes widened marginally, before narrowing at the implications of what Kadaj was saying.

"_Now, we all know how much 'Nii-san can affect which side will win in a fight, and seeing as we __**know**__ you know where our 'Kaa-san is, we propose a trade. We will give you our 'Nii-san back, in exchange for 'Kaa-san."_

He frowned darkly.

_"I'm sure you'll know how to contact us when you come to a decision, but I'm also sure you know that we're not very patient people, and I'm afraid the longer 'Nii-san shares our company, the more likely he is to have an 'accident' or two, so don't take too long."_

**_Beeeeep._**

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Well, there's chapter one. What did you think? We get the introduction of Kadaj, Loz and Yazoo, as well as Vincent and a couple of the Shinra gang :D The rest of the AVALANCHE gang will be introduced in the next chapter, and then I think that's everyone … lol

Thanks to linx79, elebelly, DreamlessRiver for your reviews, and also thanks to Kisara Strife for your review and also for all your help beta-ing the last chapter :D

Oh, and here's the ONE disclaimer you're going to get for this story: Yeah, like I'm intelligent/patient/creative enough to create something like Final Fantasy --() ... lol

x Jacqui x


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